Blood vessels of the peri-implant mucosa: a comparison between flap and flapless procedures.
OBJECTIVE
The vascularity of a peri-implant tissue is a very important parameter in the establishment and maintenance of healthy tissue after dental implant insertion. The purpose of this study was to compare the vascularity of the peri-implant mucosa between flap and flapless implant surgeries by using a canine mandible model.


METHODS
In six mongrel dogs, bilateral, edentulated, and flat alveolar ridges were created in the mandible. After 3 months of healing, 2 implants were placed in each side by either flap or flapless procedure. After another healing period of 3 months, biopsies were obtained, prepared for light microscopy, and exposed to morphometric measurements.


RESULTS
The supracrestal connective tissue lateral to the implant was found to be more richly vascularized in the flapless group than in the flap group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the flapless procedure may increase the vascularity of the peri-implant mucosa.
Kim
Jung-In
JI
Graduate, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Byung-Ho
BH
Li
Jingxu
J
Xuan
Feng
F
Jeong
Seung-Mi
SM
D000818:Animals; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010521:Periosteum / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps
D015921:Dental Implants